A Chinese Festive Event

Hokkien New Year are celebrated widely in Penang and all over Malaysia. Hokiens
celebrates their New Year grandly with sugar cane, preparing of folding Thnee Kong
Kim, the morning to night buying of food, wrappings of food.

Well, some of you may ask why only in Penang we have Hokkien New Year. Well,
majority of Penang Chinese are Hoiken or Hokkiens.The Chinese in Ipoh and Kuala
Lumpur are Cantonese speaking and Taochiews are concentrated on the mainland.

Then again, with the spirit of inter marriages amongst the Chinese themselves,
springs the majority respecting this festival.

All one has to do to please the Father in Heaven, the Jade Emperor. The majority
of the Hokkiens live in Penang and the mainland around Butterworth.

It is great to join in with the fun at Hokkien New Year with friends and family.
For the tourist, this is the highlights or major festivities for the Chinese. If you
choose to have your Penang vacations or holidays here, you will not regret it.

This celebration goes on for fifteen days and all the days, there are different
celebration, be it in temple or home. Even China loses out when it comes to Penang
Chinese New year.

As it was quiet at home for me, I decided to look around town, knowing fully well
that this little town called Raja Uda will be lighted in full glory for the Hokkien
New Year.

Nine Emperor Gods Temple in Butterworth

Chandra and I decided to pop in to see how the Taoist people are preparing for
the Hokkien New Year. Hokkien respect for Jade Emperor, Thnee Kong) is unbelievably
strong. Fireworks, can be seen everywhere.

It was a surprise for us to find out that the Nine Emperors God Temple, in Butterworth
to be pretty quiet, though fully lighted up.

On the table outside and inside the temple, vegetarian food is offered. Other
than that, all are quiet. It is one of the biggest Temple in Butterworth, really
spectacular place to see.

Some folks were there by eleven pm to get ready the joss stick and Thnee Kong
Kim for burning.

We did our prayer in and outside the temple praying to all the heavenly Gods and
Goddesses, like the Three True ones, Jade Emperor, Ma Choe Poh and many others.

We then stopped by our friend's house to join in the Hokkien celebration. Low
and behold, the family is getting ready to offer prayer to Thnee Kong.

Aunty Lian's effort can be seen by the preparation and offering on the table. The
food and fruits are specially wrapped round with red paper. Cutting of red paper to
bind the fruits is going to be a dying art.

The pig ling with its butts stuck up, lovely mee koo, jelly and other foods are
food offerings for the Gods. I asked her whether she roasted the pig and she laughed,
she has been offering the pigling for the past twenty years.

Chinese New Year Celebration in Chew Jetty Penang

I am flabbergasted beyond words. Food! Food! Food offerings on Hokkien New Year
celebration to Thni Kong or Jade Emperor! The Hokkien community in Chew Jetty tops
the New Year celebration again.

Over 20 long tables with roasted piglings, big bottles of cognac and trays, baskets,
plates in all shapes and sizes laden with food. See for yourself the Chew Jetty celebration.

For homes, the Thnee Kong altar is always placed outside the house. Joss stick,
candles and oil lamps are placed on the daily altar, while on the specially erected
altar, are one of that handsome spread of offerings.

Once a year, like the 8th day morning till midnight, it is really busy day for
Hokkien people.

These are some of the Penang Heritage that is in dire need to be preserved. Most of
the traditional cultures is what makes Penang into a heritage city recently.

Approximately, eleven at night, all the prayers stuffs are carried out and placed
on a specially erected table for the grand prayers.

I joined Aunty Lian daughter in the folding of Thnee Kong Kim. Even touching them
makes one feel lucky and bountiful of wealth and prosperity.

Not lovers in the air but prosperity and wealth are tingling down as I folded the
Thnee Kong Kim. Amidst the grandkids shrieking as fireworks are spouting up in the air.
All the calling to us to watch, firework shooting up.